Advertise on podcast: Trust Me

This episode, hosted by Anna Soliman,  reviews the new petition process enacted under AB 2016 for a decedent’s primary residence valued up to  $750,000.  We will discuss the origin of the new law, the old rules, and the mechanics of the procedures.  About our guests, Judith Tang and Lisa B. Roper:  Judith Tang is the Co-Vice Chair of the Trusts and Estates Practice group at Fennemore.  Judith is a Director and the Co-Vice Chair of the Trusts and Estates Practice group at Fennemore. She has over 25 years of experience and a breadth of knowledge, providing comprehensive personalized estate planning and trust and estate administration services. Lisa B. Roper is a partner in the Estate and Trust Litigation Group and the Trust Administration and Probate Group at Henderson, Caverly and Pum LLP, where she advises clients in estate and trust controversies, estate and trust administrations, guardianships, and conservatorships.   Lisa and Judith are members of the Executive Committee of the Trust and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association.   About Our Host: Anna Soliman is Special Counsel in Sheppard Mullin’s Los Angeles office, where she specializes in estate planning and trust administration for high-net-worth individuals. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Trust and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association.   Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

New laws were enacted in 2025 that will affect California trusts and estates practitioners on January 1, 2026. Join our three speakers, attorneys Kristin Yokomoto, Paul Gruwell, and Mara Mahana, on this episode as they summarize the highlights of the new laws and how they affect estate planning, trust administration, incapacity, litigation, and more. Look for an in-depth article on the new laws in an upcoming issue of the Trusts & Estates Quarterly. About Our Podcast Panel: Kristin Yokomoto is a partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP in the Orange County office. She practices in the areas of estate planning for high net worth clients, trust administration, probate, and fiduciary litigation. Kristin is a Member of the California Lawyers Association Trusts and Estates Executive Committee (TEXCOM) and The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). She is a Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law certified by the State Bar of California   Paul Gruwell is a civil litigation partner of Ragghianti Freitas LLP in San Rafeal.  He specializes in Trust and Estate Litigation and represents individuals, families, fiduciaries, and charitable organizations in all phases of disputes, including through contested evidentiary hearings, trials, and appeals. His practice in this area spans trust and will contests, fiduciary breach of duty, removal of trustees and executors, accounting disputes, probate disputes, surcharge actions, and fee disputes. Paul is a Member of TEXCOM.   Mara Mahana is a Wealth Strategist and Senior Director at Syon Capital LLC in San Francisco and formerly a practicing attorney for 20 years in the field of trusts and estates law working with high- and ultra-high net worth clients to review, develop, and consult on estate and wealth transfer plans, taking into consideration clients’ unique values, needs and circumstances. Mara is a Member of TEXCOM. Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Host: Ben Schwefel Speaker: Anthony Lai This episode explores how community property interests are identified, asserted, and litigated in post-death trust and estate administrations. We break down the legal framework, common pressure points, and practical strategies for navigating disputes when ownership and control are anything but clear. Speaker Bio: Anthony Lai is a Senior Associate at Feinberg Mindel Brandt & Klein LLP in Pasadena and a Certified Family Law Specialist who represents clients in high-conflict family law matters, focusing on complex litigation with empathetic, client-centered advocacy.  Anthony represents individuals in all areas of family law, including dissolution of marriage, custody and visitation, division of assets, spousal and child support, and pre- and post-marital agreements. He serves as lead counsel in long-cause matters and trials, particularly those involving contested domestic violence restraining orders, fiduciary breach claims, and move-away hearings. Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

What happens when beneficiaries disagree about the family home or other inherited real estate? In this episode, guest, James Ulwelling and host, Ben Schwefel, will discuss partition actions, co-ownership conflicts, lis pendens (notice of pendency of action), and practical strategies for resolving real property disputes that arise in trust and estate administrations. About our guest: James Ulwelling practices in the areas of real estate litigation, real estate transactions, community association (HOA) law, business law and general civil litigation. James has served as lead trial counsel in numerous lawsuits and arbitrations over the years, where he has exhibited skills in courtroom strategy, critical analysis and sophisticated advocacy. James, who has over 25 years of legal experience, is a former partner at Morris Polich and Purdy, LLP (now Clark Hill PLC) and Ulwelling | Siddiqui LLP. James is actively engaged with professional groups serving the real estate, community association and business communities. He is a member of the Real Property Section of the State Bar of California and the Community Associations Institute. He is a featured speaker for groups such as the Community Associations Institute, Chapman University School of Law, the Orange County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Employer Advisory Council of Orange County, and numerous commercial and residential real estate brokerages. He has served on the Publications Committee and Mediation Committee for the Community Associations Institute. James has been published in periodicals and trade journals such as California Law Business, The Law Journal and OC View. Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

In this episode, guests Jonathan Blattmachr and Martin Shenkman share their thoughts on key OBBBA provisions and the Act’s impact on estate and tax planning with host Kristin Yokomoto. Planning considerations include use of non-grantor trusts for charitable planning, basis-focused income tax planning, and more. They will also discuss the benefits of reviewing existing SLATs and other irrevocable trusts, as well as the importance of preparing customized estate plans that address family dynamics to minimize the chances of litigation.  Host: Kristin Yokomoto Guests: Jonathan G. Blattmachr and Martin M. Shenkman Jonathan G. Blattmachr is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Interactive Legal, and Co-Author of Wealth Transfer Planning™. He is a principal in ILS Management, LLC and a retired member of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York, NY and of the Alaska, California and New York Bars. He has written and lectured extensively on estate and trust taxation and charitable giving. Jonathan graduated from Columbia University School of Law cum laude, where he was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and received his A.B. degree from Bucknell University, majoring in mathematics. He has served as a lecturer-in-law of the Columbia University School of Law and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University Law School in its Masters in Tax Program (LLM). He is a former chairperson of the Trusts & Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and of several committees of the American Bar Association. Jonathan is a Fellow and a former Regent of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and past chair of its Estate and Gift Tax Committee. He is author or co-author of eight books and more than 500 articles on estate planning and tax topics.  Martin M. Shenkman, CPA, MBA, PFS, AEP (distinguished), JD, is an attorney in private practice in Fort Lee, New Jersey and New York City. He is the founder of Shenkman Law, a boutique firm focused on the legal needs of high-net-worth individuals, professionals, close business owners, and real estate owners and developers. Martin’s practice includes estate and tax planning, planning for closely held businesses, and estate administration. He is the author of 42 books and more than 1,000 articles. Martin is an Editorial Board Member of Trusts & Estates Magazine, CCH (Wolter’s Kluwer), and the Matrimonial Strategist. He has previously served on the editorial board of many other tax, estate and real estate publications. Martin earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Wharton School with concentrations in accounting and economics, MBA from the University of Michigan with concentrations in tax and finance, and law degree from Fordham University School of Law. He is admitted to the bar in New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. and is a licensed CPA in New Jersey, Michigan, and New York.   Click here to listen to Interactive Legal’s 4-Part webinar series on OBBBA - https://interactivelegal.com/big-beautiful-bill/ Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Listen to host Kristin Yokomoto discuss various aspects of the CLA Trusts and Estates Section Executive Committee (TEXCOM) with guests Matthew McMurtrey and Ryka Farotte.  Learn about how TEXCOM monitors all California bills, some of which become law that impact our trusts and estates practice. We discuss Matt’s 11-year term on TEXCOM and Ryka’s 6-year term, their leadership roles, and some of the contributions they have made to the CLA Trusts and Estates Section and the community. Learn more about the focus of TEXCOM’s Legislation, Estate Planning, Incapacity, Trust Administration, and Litigation Committees and how you can become involved. Our Speakers: Matthew McMurtrey is the managing partner at Sacks, Glazier, Franklin, Lodise, McMurtrey & Scheerer, LLP in Los Angeles. Matt is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, the California Lawyer’s Association Trusts and Estates Section 2021-22 Chair of the Executive Committee (TEXCOM), and a former Chair of TEXCOM’s Litigation Subcommittee.  Ryka Farotte is a research attorney in the Probate Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court. He is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the California Lawyer Association’s Trusts and Estates Section (TEXCOM) where he serves as Chair of the Incapacity Subcommittee.   Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Listen to TEXCOM Members Kim McGhee, Ben Schwefel, Jadene Tamura, and Kristin Yokomoto discuss the benefits of becoming a Certified Legal Specialist and the five TEXCOM modules making up the Exam and You preparation course.  The speakers will cover examination tips and briefly describe the examination topics, including professional responsibility, estate, gift, and tax planning through the use of revocable and irrevocable trusts, trust administration, accountings, probate law, powers of attorney, advance health care directives, incapacity, elder law and abuse, conservatorships, and trust and estate litigation. The Exam and You webinars discuss the five areas listed by the State Bar of California that may be on the examination, which is scheduled for October 30, 2025.  To purchase a Session or bundle of 5 Sessions of The Exam and You, click here – https://calawyers.org/trusts-and-estates/exam-and-you-estate-planning-through-administration-and-litigation/  Speakers:  Kimberly R. McGhee is the principal attorney at Black & McGhee, A Professional Law Corporation. She is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, V.A. Certified Accredited Attorney, and member of the California Lawyers Association, Trusts and Estates Executive Committee (TEXCOM). She is licensed in California and Nevada.  Ben Schwefel is a Partner at Murtaugh Treglia Stern & Deily LLP and is a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate law by the State Bar of California. Ben's practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, probate administration, and trust litigation. Ben is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trust and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM) and the Orange County Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section.  Jadene Tamura is a shareholder and co-chair of the Trusts & Estates Dept. at Parker Milliken Clark O’Hara & Samuelian, APC. Her practice includes all aspects of trusts and estates with an emphasis on estate planning and administration. She is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California, and a member of the Executive Committee of the CLA Trust and Estate Section (TEXCOM).  Kristin Yokomoto is a partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP in Costa Mesa, California. She practices in the areas of estate planning for high net worth clients and trust administration. Kristin is a Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law certified by the State Bar of California. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and Executive Committee Member of the CLA Trust and Estate Section (TEXCOM). Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

In this episode of Trust Me! we will be discussing King Lear, the Shakespearean tragedy, and the fallout from an estate plan gone wrong. Our Guest Ralph Hughes is a founding shareholder of Hughes & Pizzuto, A P.C. where he practices in the areas of Estate Planning, Trust Law, Probate Litigation, Trust Litigation, Will Contests, Mediation in related fields.  Ralph has been a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law for more than 25 years.  He is a member of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a former member of the California Lawyers Association Trusts and Estates Executive Committee (TEXCOM).   Our Host Anne M. Rudolph is a shareholder at Hughes & Pizzuto, APC. Her practice is limited to trust and probate administration, related litigation and appeals. She received her J.D. with highest honors from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Anne is a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and a member of CLA’s Trusts and Estates Executive Committee (TEXCOM). Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Listen to two TEXCOM members in this podcast where Kim McGhee, a legal specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the California State Bar, certified Elder Law attorney and VA accredited attorney, discusses key incapacity issues with respect to estate planning, as hosted by Kimberly Strand. While people are living longer than ever before, incapacity later in life is also growing more prevalent, and elder abuse is on the rise.  In this podcast, we review the documents necessary for thorough incapacity planning — the considerations involved in creating them and, importantly, when and how to implement them.   Why planning in advance so important How to handle clients when you see a slipping of capacityThe cross-over between incapacity and elder abuseCurrent challenges with conservatorships Kimberly R. McGhee, is the principal attorney at Black & McGhee, A Professional Law Corporation. She is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, V.A. Certified Accredited Attorney, and member of the California Lawyers Association, Trusts and Estates Executive Committee (TEXCOM). She is the Past-President of the Southern California National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Member of the Thomson Reuters Practical Law Trusts & Estates Advisory Board, and contributing author and editor for CEB’s Trusts & Estates practice guide. She is licensed in California and Nevada.   Kimberly A. Strand, Esq. is a shareholder at Ellerman Strand, a Professional Law Corporation in Cameron Park, California. She received her J.D. degree, with honors, from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and probate administration, and conservatorships. She also represents private fiduciaries and public administrators in probates, trust administrations, and conservatorship matters.  She serves on the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM). Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In this episode of Trust Me!, our guest Bill Sias, who works for the Office of County Counsel in Los Angeles, will discuss the basics of LPS Proceedings.  He will review how an LPS conservatorship begins and the general processes that follow.  He will also discuss how an LPS conservatorship is different from other types of conservatorships.  About Our Guest:William (“Bill”) Sias has extensive experience in conservatorships in Probate and Mental Health Court.  Bill currently works for the Office of County Counsel in Los Angeles.  He has had a series of published opinions under the LPS Act, including Conservatorship of K.P (2021) before the California Supreme Court. About Our Host: Host Anna Soliman is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trust and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association.     Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Show Notes: Licensed Professional Fiduciaries play a key role in the trusts and estates ecosystem in California. In this episode, we discuss the role that professional trustees play in trust administration, and the skills and experience they bring to bear in order to secure the legacies and wishes of the clients they serve.    About Our Guest:  Marguerite Lorenz is a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary and a Master Certified Independent Trustee. Marguerite is a managing partner at Lorenz Private Trustees. Marguerite serves as Vice Chair of the Board of the Independent Trustee Alliance, a national organization for trustees across the country. She speaks and writes frequently, and she authored the books Ethics for Trustees and Ethics for Trustees 2.0. Look for Marguerite’s new books, “Luck or Control”, and “How to be a Successful Ninety-Year-Old”, scheduled for release in late 2025. Marguerite can be reached at [email protected] or on LinkedIn. About Our Host:   Matt Owens is a partner in the San Diego (Del Mar) office of Sheppard Mullin. His practice is focused on trust, estate, and inheritance disputes. Matt is a certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and he is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM).  Matt can be reached at [email protected] or on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

New laws were enacted in 2024 that affect California trust and estate practitioners. Join our two speakers, attorneys Jadene M. W. Tamura and Mara M. Mahana, on this episode as they describe the highlights of the new laws and how they affect trusts and estates practice, estate and trust litigation, incapacity proceedings, and more. About Our Podcast Speakers: Jadene M. W. Tamura is a Shareholder and Co-Chair of the Trusts & Estates Department at Parker Milliken, practicing in the areas of trust and estate planning, administration, and litigation. Jadene is a certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM). Jadene may be reached at [email protected]. Mara M. Mahana is a Senior Wealth Strategist and Executive Director at Wells Fargo Bank. Mara works with high- and ultra-high net worth clients to review, develop, and consult on estate and wealth transfer plans, taking into consideration clients’ unique values, needs and circumstances. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Bank, Mara was a practicing attorney with 20 years of experience in trust and estate law.  Mara is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM). Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Complicated clients need complicated planning.  And as years go by, those complications may have led to the creation of multiple trusts for the next generation.  Children and grandchildren who benefit from those multiple trusts often come to their attorneys and ask, “What can we do to simplify?”  The top-of-mind answer for many planners is to find a way to combine these trusts.  In this episode of Trust Me!, our guests, Andrew Katzenstein and Cary Robbins of Proskauer Los Angeles, discuss what to consider when combining trusts.   About Our Guests: Andrew Katzenstein is a partner in the Private Client Services Department of Proskauer Los Angeles where he assists high net worth individuals, companies and charitable organizations with all aspects of tax and estate planning. He focuses his practice on tax planning matters, which include estate, gift and generation-skipping tax planning, as well as income tax of trust planning, probate and trust administration matters, resolving disputes between fiduciaries and beneficiaries, and charitable planning. Andrew can be reached at: [email protected]  Cary Robbins is a partner in the Private Client Services Department of Proskauer Los Angeles.  Cary provides sophisticated estate and tax planning advice to individuals and families, with an emphasis on the multigenerational transfer of wealth.  She works with clients from a variety of backgrounds, including real estate investors, entrepreneurs, business owners, private equity principals, and individuals with inherited wealth.  She also routinely counsels clients on their charitable giving and assists clients with the formation and administration of private foundations to meet their charitable goals. Cary can be reached at: [email protected] About Our Host: Host Anna Soliman is Trust Counsel and Chief Fiduciary Officer of Fiduciary Trust International of California. Prior to joining Fiduciary Trust International, Anna was an estate tax attorney for the Internal Revenue Service and also worked in private practice, specializing in estate planning and trust administration for ultrahigh net worth individuals.  She is also a TEXCOM member and the Vice-Chair of the Fiduciary Income Tax Section of the American Bar Association.  Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Show Notes: Breslin and Smith and Farrant, oh my! The road to speedy probate trials has become more challenging over the last few years due to recent case law. Practitioners who intend to steer their trust and estate litigation matters to trial must be prepared for the roadblocks they will face along the way. In this episode, two trust-and-estate litigators identify such roadblocks, as well as effective strategies for getting through them or avoiding them altogether. About Our Guest: Golnaz Yazdchi Golnaz is a partner in the San Diego (Del Mar) office of Sheppard Mullin. Her practice focuses exclusively on disputes over trusts, estates, conservatorships and other fiduciary matters. Golnaz is a graduate of Loyola Law School and she is member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association. She has been selected by Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers in the practice area of trust and estate litigation. Golnaz can be reached at [email protected]. About Our Host:  Matt Owens Matt is a partner in the San Diego (Del Mar) office of Sheppard Mullin. His practice is focused on trust, estate, and inheritance disputes. Matt is a certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM), and served as Chair of the Executive Committee of the San Diego County Bar Association's Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law Section. He is ranked by Chambers in Private Wealth Disputes. Matt can be reached at [email protected] or on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

The aftermath of trust litigation brought by beneficiaries against trustees is too often a lawyer malpractice claim against the drafting lawyer.  Listen to Sean McKissick and Kristin Yokomoto discuss the 1958 balancing test applied to lawyer malpractice cases and the messages from the courts in recent cases.  About Our Guest:  Sean McKissick Sean McKissick is a partner at Downey Brand LLP in Sacramento, California, where he specializes in trust and estate litigation.  He serves as the Vice Chair of the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association.  He is the current Editor of Trust on Trial, a blog focusing on trust and estate litigation in California that was founded by the Honorable Jeffrey Galvin prior to his ascension to the bench.  Listeners can receive Sean’s blog posts via email as they are posted by subscribing at https://www.trustontrial.com/subscribe/.   About Our Host:  Kristin Yokomoto Kristin Yokomoto, Esq., is a partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP in Costa Mesa, California. She practices in the areas of estate planning for high net worth clients, business succession planning, trust administration, and probate. She is a Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law certified by the State Bar of California. Kristin is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Executive Committee Member of the CLA Trust and Estate Section (TEXCOM), and Committee Member of the Orange County Bar Association Professionalism & Ethics Committee. Thank you for listening to Trust Me! Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek